Table of Contents
Rogue waves in fiber lasers
Rogue waves are considered to be rare, extreme amplitude, localized wave packets, which are the subject of great interest now in various areas of physics. Fiber laser systems provide abundant nonlinear dynamics that are perfect for an examination of optical RW formation. Fiber lasers have made great research progress on rogue waves.
Fiber lasers as nonlinear optical systems
Fiber laser systems act as a dissipative nonlinear optical system, and they are widely used for the study of optical solitons. Ultrafast fiber lasers allow examining soliton interactions, molecules, rains, noise-like pulses, and soliton explosions, which are closely linked to the RW generation.
Dissipative rogue waves
These laser systems offer a proper platform for the production of dissipative RWs. It is possible to measure the dynamics of RWs within each round trip in a fiber laser. These waves in fiber laser systems are not new and have already been tested; the study of dissipative RWs in laser systems continues to develop quickly.
Classification of rogue waves
Rogue waves in fiber lasers are possible to be categorized by laser beam duration: slow, fast, and ultrafast RWs. Various mechanisms take part in their generation. The measurement of ultrafast RWs is highly challenging when applying the standard technique. Also, types of dissipative RWs emitted by fiber laser systems include RWs created by chaotic structures, dark three-sister RWs, and the laser beam pulse waves produced as a result of the multiple-pulse interaction.
Vortex laser beams and applications
Fiber lasers enable the generation of vortex laser beams that offer promising applications in quantum optics, optical micromanipulation, rotation detection, WDM (mode-division multiplexing) systems, and nonlinear fiber optics. These laser beams find applications in modulating elements, containing the mode-selective couplers, long-period fiber gratings, and microstructured fiber facets. There are the mode-locked vortex beams, which is why the optical RWs based on the vortex laser beams in the fiber laser systems remain popular research topics, favoring the further development of nonlinear optics.
Temporal cavity solitons in fiber lasers
Laser systems without the mode locker installed in the cavity allow emitting ultrashort laser beam pulses, for instance, the temporal cavity solitons. “When the dispersion and nonlinearity are balanced in the fiber lasers, TCSs are formed, which can transmit indefinitely and keep their shape in the fiber cavity”. Thus, fiber laser systems are perfect for observation of the generation of optical RWs as well as to investigate their behavior because rogue waves present a threat to the safety of seagoing personnel and ships.